Love Lille

While considering my options for a weekend getaway via the Eurostar from London's Kings Cross St Pancras- a trip to Lille was the last place that sprung to mind.

I always thought of it as a place you'd go to change trains on you're way to more attractive destinations such as Paris or Bruges. But it wasn't until I spent some time there that I realised this place has a lot more to offer then just a platform change at Gare de Lille-Europe (train station).

The first thing that struck me was how welcoming and friendly the city was. People were all too eager to help me as I wandered from the train station, with a map in my hand and a confused look on my face. Their warm and friendly nature put me right at ease and thanks to the fact that everybody spoke perfect English, I was able to locate my hotel- Novotel Lille Centre Gares- no problem.

After checking into the clean and modern hotel located in the city centre, I spent some time familiarising myself with the city.

The city is located close to the Belgium border and I could see the Flemish influence present in the city's architecture and cuisine. Rows of narrow houses bursting with colour and ornamental detail, surrounded the city's main square, Grand'Place- which is the pulse of the city.

Officially the Grand'Place is called the Place du General de Gaulle, named after Charles de Gaulle- the French general and president. He was born in Lille in 1890 and tourists can visit the house where he was born, which has now been turned into a museum.

Adjacent to Grand'Place are 24 identical houses which form the square of the Vieille Bourse. Here, beneath a vaulted cloister, stalls selling second hand books and posters attract curious crowds of tourists.

I noticed there were two aspects to the city- Euralille the modern quarter, which is situated between the old Lille Flanders train station and the new Gare de Lille Europe. The redeveloped area is home to a huge shopping centre and bar and restaurant complex.

On the other side of the Grand'Place in the Old Town, where the cobbled narrow streets have a medieval feel and you can stumble across antique shops, art galleries, elegant boutiques and an abundance of Flemish restaurants.

It is also home to the city's cathedral- The Notre-Dame de la Treille Cathedral. A 13th Century Gothic style cathedral, which saw the completion of its main façade in 1999. The façade was designed by Lille architect Pierre-Louis Carlier in collaboration with Peter Rice, the engineer of the Sydney Opera House and the Pompidou Centre in Paris.

That evening I dined in Au Vieux de la Vieille- an atmospheric Flemish restaurant which was clearly a popular choice with the locals. Inside the place was packed and I was told that on Friday nights you have to book in advance in order to get a table. I opted for a traditional Flemish dish, Les Carbonades Flamandes- a tasty beef stew cooked in beer. Which I washed down with a bottle of Belgian Blonde ale.

The next day was France's annual Heritage Day- which meant many monuments, buildings and other heritage sites were open free to the public. Heritage Days take place across France during two days in September every year.

I was strongly recommended by the tourism office, to pay a visit to the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Lille's Fine Arts Museum. It's not hard to see why it has been labelled as one of the most important museums in France, after the Louvre. The museum is situated in a spectacular 19th Century building, which houses a collection of prestigious paintings, sculptures and ceramics from the 15th to the 20th centuries.

Afterwards I was lucky enough to meet with Antoine Proye, the charismatic French owner of the Michelin starred restaurant and oyster bar, A L'Huitriere and sea food restaurant L'Ecume des Mers.

A L'Huitriere is one of the city's finest restaurants, which has boasted a Michelin star every year without fail since 1930. Antoine's great grandfather opened the restaurant as a fishmongers in 1928, and it has been passed down through the generations.

Behind its Art Deco façade is a fish shop at the front of the restaurant, selling a wonderful array of fresh fish and an oyster bar which gets very busy at lunch time.

The restaurant itself seats up to 145 people and is lavishly decorated with crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and a secluded seating area for private parties.

Antoine told me that up until 2008 most of his diners were English businessmen and women or affluent tourists, who would come over to Lille on the Eurostar especially to dine in his restaurant for lunch.

He said: “I noticed a big difference when the Eurostar switched from Waterloo station to Kings Cross St Pancras in 2007. Then we started getting lots of English guests in particular City workers who would just come over, have their lunch and go back.

“But then the recession hit the UK and all that changed.”

The 41-year-old opened his second seafood restaurant L'Ecume des Mers in 1992, which recently re-opened this summer after a refurbishment.

Prices are a lot more reasonable here than in A L'Huitriere- but the Oysters in A L'Huitriere are too delicious not to try. Antoine says he has been getting the same oysters from three families who farm and produce shellfish across different regions in France, for decades.

He said: “In these oysters you can taste the sea- they are what I'd call the Rolls Royce of oysters.”

Sunday morning I was up bright and early to go on a tour of the First World War battlefields and war graves in the Weppes area, just 10km from the centre of Lille.

The tour which runs every Sunday morning and can be booked through the Lille tourism office, is led by Aurore Rouffelaers, a regional guide and interpreter. On this occasion she was particularly excited as we were being joined by a French TV crew who were filming the tour for a local news channel.

The first stop was Fromelles, the site of a Commonwealth military cemetery, which was officially opened in July this year. The cemetery holds the remains of some 250 Australian and British soldiers who fell during the tragic Battle of Fromelles, on July 19 1916.

The tour then continued with a stop at an Australian memorial, and at the military cemeteries of Trou aid Post and Petillon Street. It also paid homage to the other countries that fought alongside the French and British troops in the Second World War, by stopping at the Portuguese cemetery of Richebourgh and the La Couture Indian memorial.

Aurore said: “It is mostly British tourists who come on these tours, or people searching for family members who may have died in battle out here and they are trying to locate their graves. It can be a very memorable and moving experience.”

Returning to Gare de Lille-Europe on Sunday afternoon to catch my train back to London, I felt as though I'd discovered a hidden gem in northern France. Lille really is a mixed bag of Flemish and French- with its beautiful buildings, vibrant markets and an abundance of restaurants serving up authentic cuisine. But I think it will be the warm and friendly nature of its people that will draw me back to this French city again.

Railbookers are currently offering this special deal valid until March 31.

A three night break with a Friday departure via Eurostar, staying at the Novotel Lille Centre Gares Hotel from £209 per person.

All the offers exclude 26 November to 23 December and 24 December to 31 December.

This break includes: Return standard class Eurostar travel from London St Pancras International, Ebbsfleet International or Ashford International to Lille.

2 nights bed & breakfast hotel accommodation Single room occupancy at the hotel will incur an additional supplement.

Anyone interested should call 020 3327 0734 or visit railbookers.com.